Thermo-electric generator



(No Model.)

Y E. e. AGHBSON.

THERMO ELECTRIC GENERATOR.

a Patented Deo. 20

` UNITED STATES PATENT Orr-ics.

THERMo-sLr-:o'rmc GENERATR.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 37 5,242. datedneceniber 20... 1887.

Application tiled August '27, 1887. Serial No. 248.o76. (o model.) u I I .To all whom, it may concern.

IB eit known that I, EDWAD G. AoHEso-N, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain `new and useful Improvements in Thermo-Electric Generators, of which the following is a specication.

My lnvention relates-to thermo-electric generators; and it has -forits object to provide means whereby currents of electricity may be generated to a practical extent by the direct conversion of heat into such currents; and my invention consists in the methods and means, substantially as hereinafter described, whereby these results are obtained.

.Referring to the accompanying drawings, Flgure 1 is a perspective View of an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical -sectlon of the same. Fig. 3 is a vert-ical section of another form.

The body f the generator consists of two concentric cylinders, and in Fig. 2 I have shown an inner hollow cylinder, A, secured to a su1table base, B, so formedas to receive a suitable source of heat, as a lamp, lC,4 so that thesaid cylinder may be heated to any desrred degree.' Surrounding said cylinder and concentric thereto is another and outer cylin der, D, also supported uponthe base B, but

insulated therefrom in any suitable manner, and I have shown a ring of rubber or asbestus, E, adapted to it into the recessed or grooved bottom end of said cylinder. Upon this cylinder D rests a cap-piece, F, which is separated therefrom by insulating materiaL-such as before described, and this cap-piece is secured to the inner cylinder, A, in any desired manner,as by beingscrewed thereon, asshown,

ndserves to secure the outer cylinder to the ase.

'Looscly fitting the interior of the cylinderas by immersing it in a of the generator with a gas' of any desired kind-as orygen--and for this purpose .I apply an uletcock, K, which is shownconnected to the chamber between the cylinder, and a cap-piece. K', with side perforations is placed over` the'inlet to allow the gas to f low and to prevent theinlet becoming f oul from the powder, and to regulate the flow of gas I provide one or more vent-cocks, L, in the cap-piece, which may be used to control thepassage of the gas through the powdered material. These vent-cocks are arranged in different parts of the cap, so that the tlow'of gas;A may be propcrly distributed through the powdered material in a manner well underst od. Suitable binding-postsare attached to the cylinders, as indicated. l

'In Fig. 3 I have shown, another embodiment of the invention in which the inner cylinder, M, is solid and is supportedupon thetip of a outer cylinder, O, suitable insulating material being interposed between the' support and the cylinder.

In order to get good connection with thein; ner cylinder, Isecure a rod, B, to its end, and this extends upward through the cap-pieceQ, which in this instance'is ex-tended upward t0. some extent for convenience, and'this rod is -screw,:N, passing through the bottomof the insulated from the cap-piece by mica or otherwise. This cap-piece also serves to hold the cylinders i-n proper'relation to each other and supports a projection,S,to which one terminal of the line-circuit can be attached, the other being secured to the end of the rod P.

The spacebetween the cylinders, which are insulated from each other, as abov'e indicated, is filled with some material capable of giving ol oxygenA when heated, and, the heat is a plied to this form of battery upon the outsi e, sand bath or other source of4 heat. j My invention will be understood from the. above to be not limited to any particular details of construction, as they may be varied by those skilled in the art without departing from the principles thereof, nor is it limited to the use ofthe materials named, or to the par ticular gas specified, as other materials which give o' gases when subjected to the action of heat,which gas surrounds or envelops the par.-

l ro condition, and inject the gas into the'cha'm#Y ticles from which it is produced,and is capable -ot converting the heat energy into electric energy, may be used; nor is it necessary that the'chamber or space between the cylinders or bodies Abe inclosed; .nor that cylinders should be usedas itisonly necessary to place the powered material between two conducting-sur Afaces, one Vof which may be heated. As an equivalent to the gas-produci ng-powderfl may use some conducting material in a commin'iited ber, the gas'acting to envelop'the particles of thepowder in suchA a manner that the heatrays'will be forced to pass through' the gas, so"

.that the conversion mayv'take place. i In using the invention 'the sizeofthchainf ber may be regulated. in accordancewith the l* ldesired; electro-motive force ofthe resulting conversion. It the cylinders are so close together that there is practically but one layer of p 'articles separating the cylinders, the heat; "radiated or conducted from'the heatedcylinl der .wonldhave to pass through but twotilm's of gas andv th'c converted current would 4have -an electro-motive forceproportio'ned to thewhich consists in causing heat to pass through one 'or more films of gas included inan electric circuit.

of converting heat energy into electric energy, which consists in heating a gas-producing nia-A teria'l and causing heat to pass through such heated material included in an electric circuit. f 3. The method, substantially as described, of converting heat energy into electric energy, which consists. in' heating a material which of convertingheat energy into electric energy,

2. The method,` .substantiallyas described, 4

' Witnesses:

produces oxygen gas'and passing heat through such gas included in an electric circuit.

4. The combination, in-a converter of heat into electric energy,of two surfaces of conducting material, one of which is heated,r and a gasproducing material betweenthe plates, substantially as described.

"'5.fTh'e combination, in a converter of heat into electricA energy, of two plates connected in an electric circuit, and agas-producing ma- `terialv interposed between ltheplates in the electriccircuit, substantially as described.

-6.` 'lhe combination, in a converter of heat into electric energy, of two Iconcentric cylinders of conducting material and powdered gas-producing material interposed between the cylinders, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a base and two conducting-cylinders mounted thereon and Iinsulated from eachother, of bioxide of manganse, or equivalent, included in the circuit betweenthe cylinders, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with Itwo conductingsurfaces, one of .which is heated, of amixture of bioxide of 'manganese and chlorate of potash interposed between the surfaces and all included in an electric circuit, substantially as described.-

9. 'The combination, .with a base, of two concentric cylinders mounted thereon and insulated from each other,vmeans for applying heat to one of the cylinders, a cap-piece con- '.necting'said cylinders, a gas-cock communieating with the space between the cylinders,

vent-cocks in the cap, and finely-divided conducting material between the cylinders, substantially as described.,

l In testimony whereof Ihavesignedmy name to this speciiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD G. ACHESON.

J. S. BARKER, yF. L. FREEMAN. 

